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OECD education report shows work to do

Katina Curtis

A new report on education across developed nations shows there's still a way to go to reach the government's goal of being among the top five performers, School Education Minister Peter Garrett says.

The OECD's 2012 Education at a Glance report, released on Tuesday, shows Australia's spending on education increased between 2005 and 2009.

Mr Garrett noted this was largely down to the Building the Education Revolution program, designed to help Australia withstand the onset of the global financial crisis.

Australia spent above the average of the 34 OECD countries per student across the primary ($US8328), secondary ($US10,100) and tertiary ($US16,074) sectors.

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Education funding accounted for a higher than OECD average proportion of all government spending.

But Australian spending on education as a proportion of gross domestic product, at six per cent, is still below the average of 6.2 per cent.

The average class size in primary schools fell between 2000 and 2010, but remained above the OECD average at 23.7 students in a class.

The report showed the average class size in 2010 was larger in private primary and secondary schools than in public schools.

"We know we need to do more to lift our education performance including focusing on teacher quality, more power for principals and helping schools improve their results," Mr Garrett said in a statement.

"The government has made it clear that all governments need to invest more in our schools so that we can reverse the decline in our results and make sure our disadvantaged students aren't being left behind."

Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans said the report showed, however, that Australia was on target to meet the Gillard government's goal of 40 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds holding a bachelor degree by 2025.

The report showed that in 2010, 34 per cent of that age group had achieved that qualification.

Senator Evans said this finding was consistent with more recent Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

The Australian Education Union said the report highlighted the need for competitive professional salaries for teachers.

The top level of pay for Australian teachers in both primary and secondary schools ranked 18th out of the 34 countries.

At $US47,445 a year for those with minimum training, it was a long way behind the top employer Luxembourg, which pays teachers of the same level $US128,181.

Salaries increased between 2005 and 2010, but at a slower rate than the OECD average.

AEU federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said this was despite the report showing Australian teachers spent more hours in the classroom than the average and more weeks teaching each year than all but three OECD countries.

"Our teachers should be commended for their professionalism and commitment," Mr Gavrielatos said in a statement.

"Their efforts need to be matched by competitive professional salaries and enhanced career structures."